Vaporization provides an alternative to combustion for the delivery and consumption of various substances including, but not limited to liquids, i.e., “E-liquids,” waxes, gels, herbal materials and combinations thereof (singularly herein, “a vaporizable substance,” collectively herein, “vaporizable substances”). Non-limiting examples of components of vaporizable substances include: glycerin, propylene glycol, flavorings, nicotine, medicaments and combinations thereof. Vaporization may be accomplished using electronic vaporization devices, including, but not limited to, electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes and electronic vaporizers (singularly “EVD,” collectively, “EVDs”).
Oftentimes, a vaporizable substance is placed into a chamber, which either contains, or interfaces with, a heat source of an EVD. The chamber which contains the vaporizable substance may take a variety of forms, depending upon the configuration of the EVD. Some chambers are referred to in the art as “cartomizers.” “Clearomizers,” are a subset of cartomizers that are see-through, i.e., they comprise plastic or glass for example.
Typically, cartomizers contain a heating source, such as an atomizer. Atomizers comprise an absorbent material or chamber containing a vaporizable substance. The absorbent material or chamber is fluidly connected to a porous component such as a wick, which in turn acts to transport the vaporizable substance, i.e., the E-liquid, gel or melted wax, to a heating source that heats it and releases vapor. Oftentimes, the heating source comprises a heating wire wound around the porous component. Cartomizers may further comprise a vapor chimney through which the resulting vapor passes to be delivered to the consumer, such as via a mouthpiece. Exemplary cartomizers and e-cigarettes comprising the same, include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,365,742 (to Lik Hon) and 7,832,410B2 (to Lik Hon).
Some personal vaporizers such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,271,529 (to Yariv Alima), comprise cartomizers into which a vaporizable substance is dispensed and then heated via a metal coil that is in direct contact with the vaporizable substance.
The aforementioned cartomizers and the EVDs comprising them may be characterized by a number of disadvantages including, but not limited to, any one or more of the following: exposure of the vaporizable substance to certain metals that may result in a tainted vapor flavor; being useful only to vaporize e-liquids or waxes or gels, and not of use to vaporize all three; undesired contamination components of the cartomizer, EVD or EVD components (e.g., the EVD mouthpiece), when the EVD is inverted (such as being placed in a consumer's pocket); being difficult to clean between uses; being difficult to fill due to the presence of coils, wicks and other components; and limiting flow of vaporizable material based upon the physical characteristics of the porous material, i.e., wick, that delivers the vaporizable material to the heat source where it is to be vaporized.
For these and other reasons, there remains a need for an improved cartomizer that eliminates these and other problems.